Mother Abandons One-Day-Old Baby In Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command says it has recovered an abandoned one-day-old baby and arrested one Khadija Ali who is the mother.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, on Sunday, the FCT police command said the baby was abandoned along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind an uncompleted Red Bricks Market, Mpape.

This followed response to a distress call on Friday, at about 10:00am by Police operatives from Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section (JWC) who found the baby wrapped in a cloth.

“The child was promptly rescued and taken to Mpape Primary Health Care Center, where medical evaluation confirmed the baby is in stable condition.

“Following a tip off from the community, the baby’s mother, Khadija Ali, was arrested. During interrogation, she confessed to abandoning the baby, citing her inability to care for the child following her husband’s abandonment.

“The FCT Police Command vehemently condemns this act of child abandonment and reassures the public of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

“The rescued baby will be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care, while the mother will face prosecution according to the provisions of sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 upon the conclusion of investigations,” the statement partly read.

The Command appreciated the cooperation and support of members of the public in this matter and called on all residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities or emergencies via the Commands emergency lines.